Belgian jockey Soumillon urges strike action after being stripped of Ascot prize following breach of controversial new whip rules

The Belgian rider relinquished earnings of over £52,000 after he was adjudged to have hit Cirrus Des Aigles six times inside the final furlong of the richest race to be staged in Britain.

Soumillon, who was also suspended for five days, has added a significant voice to the growing chorus of those riders unhappy with the revised British Horseracing Authority whip rules, which came into effect last Monday.

Richard Hughes handed in his licence on Thursday after receiving two hefty suspensions since the introduction of the new sanctions.

Although a proposed strike at today’s meetings at Windsor and Pontefract was averted on Friday night, Soumillon believes that industrial action should still be taken.

He said: “If I was a British jockey I would be on the side of Richard Hughes, and probably go a day without riding any races.

“I would be on the side for all the jockeys.”

Representatives of the Professional Jockeys’ Association and the BHA are due to meet in London today to discuss the fall-out from the controversial new whip regulations. The whip can now only be used a maximum of seven times in a Flat race, and eight times in jumps races.

It can also only be deployed on five occasions inside the last furlong, or after the last obstacle in National Hunt racing. Jockeys who incur a whip ban of three days or more must forfeit their riding fee and prize-money percentage.

France-based Soumillon cited an inability to see the one-furlong marker as being the major factor behind him breaking the rules.

“Even though I am a tall jockey, when I am beside him (So You Think) I could not see the marker pole any more.

“I could not see where the marker was, but my horse just continued and I just gave him four or five more (hits) because I know I am allowed up to seven.

“I thought I was all right. The horse won the race, everyone was happy. It was after the race that the problem starts. The sanctions are so strong. I’m very embarrassed for English racing,” said Soumillon. “You have a lot of problems, but the whip is not one of them.

“Jockeys are not here to whip horses, they are here to make the horses do their best and that is what I tried to do.

“For a little mistake they give me a five-day suspension and I’m fighting for the title in France, so it is important for my career and they take away all my prize money.”

Soumillon added that he intends to consult his lawyers.

Cirrus Des Aigles’s trainer Corine Barande-Barbe had much sympathy for Soumillon, and feels the rules need to be changed. “I feel very sorry for Christophe. When you start your move in a race, you do not know when the final furlong begins.

“I hope he can get the money back at an appeal because it is not right. I would not mind if they said you cannot use the whip at all and you could only carry it to stop your horse moving across the track. I want to thank Christophe for giving our horse a fantastic ride.”

Jockeys have been declared to ride at the two Flat fixtures at Pontefract and Windsor today.

Champion jockey Paul Hanagan will be in action in Yorkshire, along with title rival Silvestre de Sousa. The third player in the race to be crowned champion is Kieren Fallon, and he has a full book of six rides at Windsor.